City’s DDA develops goals for 2012-13

“Every year, we do take a look at what we’ve accomplished in the past year and what our focus needs to be,” DDA Director Dana Kollewehr said.

She said the authority last year wrapped up several major projects and felt there were some items projects that needed to be focused on for this year with the development of the DDA strategic priority plan.

“The PSD and making sure that’s successful is front and center,” Kollewehr said.

While the PSD may be the top priority to the DDA’s 2012-13 plan, there are a number of other areas that will be focused on — ranging from letting the community know about what the DDA is and what it is doing, building on the first two years of ArtWalk, and fundraising.

“Fundraising is always important for any nonprofit organization,” Kollewehr said.

She said DDA officials will be looking at corporate partnerships and grants to help raise funds for the organization over the next two years.

Officials also plan to invest time into improving the look and feel of entering the DDA district.

“We’re looking at our gateways,” Kollewehr said.

These gateways are located along Jackson Street and the edges of the highway, and would provide a visual cue to welcome people to the downtown district.

Kollewehr said the gateways are an ongoing project topic that has been discussed in the past, and she said now the DDA can focus on it. According to the strategic plan, the DDA would create a plan for developing the gateways and review wayfinding signs to incorporate the new brand.

Another area Kollewehr said is going to be important in the coming year is historic preservation, and keeping the integrity of the community intact with historic buildings and structures.

“They do tell our story and the story of Grand Haven, and how it was founded,” Kollewehr said.

Other items on the strategic plan include finding out attitudes about the district, decipher what needs improvement, find out whether or not customers travel from the waterfront to the downtown, and working with all members of the DDA district to make sure their voices are heard and equally represented.